When storing or encoding and decoding a plurality of related images such as a three-dimensional (3D) image, a free view image, a multi-view image, and images obtained by dividing a super resolution image corresponding to four to 16 folds of a high-definition (HD) class based on an HD class and the like, the related images may need to be synchronized based on a frame unit. Accordingly, when obtaining a plurality of related images, a gen-lock technology of unifying synchronization signals of the respective equipment and thereby synchronizing images output from the respective equipment by connecting a synchronization signal output from a separate synchronization signal generator to equipment associated with an image has been employed.
However, the gen-lock technology synchronizes a plurality of pieces of equipment and thus, may not be applicable when sequentially encoding a plurality of images using a single encoding apparatus.
Also, when encoding a plurality of images using a plurality of encoding apparatuses that employs different standards, a synchronization signal may not be exchanged between the plurality of encoding apparatuses and thus, it may be impossible to perform a synchronization using gen-lock.
Accordingly, there is a desire for a method that may synchronize images even though image synchronization using gen-lock is impossible.